


I'll Meet You Between The Margins Of Our Comic Panels

by DelWrites



Series: The HLVRAI Superhero AU [1]
Category: Half Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware, Half-Life, Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn, strap in fuckers im attempting a long form fic again, superhero au, superhero movie typical violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24386623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelWrites/pseuds/DelWrites
Summary: When the Resonance Cascade happened, it had seemed like nothing changed... at first. Then, the alien attacks took place. Then, some people started developing powers beyond explanation. All of a sudden, Superheroes and Supervillains were a possibility, supernatural threats emerged, and the world was swiftly changed in inexplicable ways. When four heroes, and one villain, find themselves in the midst of a conspiracy involving Supervillain Alliances and Interdimensional Threats, can they rise to the challenge without falling apart?And can they do it without being idiots for five seconds?-----A Superhero AU for HLVRAI!
Relationships: Benrey/Gordon Freeman, Bubby/Dr. Coomer (Half-Life), Chell/Mel (Portal), Darnold/Tommy Coolatta/Adrian Shephard, The Science Team (platonically), Tommy Coolatta/Adrian Shephard, Tommy Coolatta/Darnold, Virgil/Wheatley (Portal)
Series: The HLVRAI Superhero AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784599
Comments: 66
Kudos: 319





	1. Issue 1: Family Matters

Gordon Freeman could feel it- the eyes on him. He wouldn’t turn around, not yet. No, he was gonna draw this out. Unstoppable force, immovable object. Who would crack first? Gordon… or that goddamn door guard, again. It lasted about five minutes, this time- Gordon refused to turn around, working diligently on his paperwork. He was writing a report on the effects of a new alien specimen on Earth’s gravity, it was very fascinating. He loved it, really, he loved it so much, it was so investing, he just couldn’t take his eyes off it for a single s-

“Benrey, what the fuck do you want man!?”

“Bro where’s your cringe baby at?”

Gordon sighed, long-suffering, and dragged his hand down his face slooooowly. Of course Benrey would remember the day.

“Picking him up after work. Why do you care, man?”

“I like your cringe baby.” Benrey’s reply was as lax as everything he ever said.

Sliding his paperwork aside, Gordon’s eyes flicked to the time- lunch break. He got to his feet, not even bothering to tell Benrey not to follow. The man always did anyway. With tired feet, the brunette trudged his way to the breakroom. He could hear the others long before he saw them, having fun in the room where they were supposed to be eating.

“Let it rip!”

With a chuckle, Gordon entered and saw exactly what was expected- Tommy Coolatta in the midst of an intense beyblade battle with Dr. Coomer. Bubby, on the sidelines, was eating his tuna salad sandwich and snickering. The ferocity of their fight was felt by everyone in the room, eating their lunches and watching with rapt attention as the tops were sent on a collision course for each other. Absolutely breathtaking. As Gordon went to the breakroom fridge, acquiring his own food, there were “oo”s and “aa”s from his fellow scientists, all biting their nails at the battle before them. Coomer’s beyblade had a close call with Tommy’s, swerving in from the right, only to be dodged and hit from behind. A swift knockdown ensued, and Tommy cheered. A few coworkers grumbled, having to pay out to others. Doctor Coomer, however, just chuckled and clapped his hands together.

“Fine work, Tommy! You sure know your way around the ring! It’s impressive!”

Bashfully, Tommy replied, “Oh thanks, Doctor- Doctor Coomer.” He rubbed the back of his neck, before turning to notice who’d entered the room.

“Tommyyyyyyyyy.”

“Oh, Benrey! Hi Benrey!” The taller man ran over to the security guard, a bright smile on his face. He held his hand out, and Benry smacked it, then they fistbumped, and followed that up with about 3 other hand motions- their handshake. As the two started to chat, Gordon sat down beside Bubby at the breakroom table. The older man leaned away as Gordon sat, grimacing. His frown changed to a light downturn of the lips when Coomer joined them, a soda in hand.

“Hello, Gordon!”

“Hey, Doctor Coomer.”

Coomer turned to Bubby, with the same friendly smile as always, and gave a hearty chuckle.

“That Tommy sure did teach me a lesson in the ring, huh?”

“Please, it’s a baby game. For babies.” Bubby rolled his eyes, snickering. “You’re fine, Coomer. Still the best in the ring.”

“Why thank you, Bubby!” He sipped his soda- a Mountain Dew, very important to note.

Gordon started to dig into his own lunch, simple roast beef sub, when Coomer’s attention shifted once more.

“So, we’ll be expecting your boy tomorrow, Gordon?”

Gordon blinked and nodded, a gentle quirk of the lips appearing on his face. “Yeah, Joshua’s gonna be waiting for me at the Elementary School. Once work’s done, I gotta head straight over.”

“And we’re going to be babysitting again, aren’t we?” Bubby asked.

“Why, there’s nothing wrong with that! I know you love the boy, Bubby.” Coomer replied.

“I really don’t!”

“Gee, thanks.” Gordon rolled his eyes at Bubby’s typical bad attitude. At this, Tommy and Benrey finally approached the table. With a grabby hand, Benrey took Gordon’s untouched apple and bit a massive chunk outta it.

“Hey, hey. Granny Smith is better, man.”

“What the fuck.”

Gordon’s reply made Benrey smirk, of course. The smirk that made Gordon wanna kill the man on sight. But, that anger wasn’t worth resting on- not when today was gonna be good. Joshua was coming over for the week, he was gonna have a great time. So, with a sigh to expend the negative energy, Gordon put on a tired smile.

“Sure, buddy. I’ll keep Granny Smith in mind for next time.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Of all the fucking days, it had to be today!?”

Freeman- Gordon’s hero persona- could barely be heard shouting above the horrific screeching of the headcrabs jumping at him. From behind, one of the nasty creatures nearly latched onto the back of his head-

Only to be decked away by the fist of PunchOut, his fellow superhero.

“Oh, no need to be so sour, Freeman! Just a little headcrab infestation! Why, don’t we tackle this every day?”

“Sure, I mean- they’re easy!” Freeman blasted energy bullets from his gun arm, ripping easily through the swaths of headcrabs. “But they’re also really goddamn annoying!”

“You can say that again!” Came a voice, from behind a burning pile of the tiny, ferocious beasts. The blue flames licked and burned at their tiny bodies, creating a putrid stench. Thank god Freeman’s mask covered his nose- judging from how Dr. Feelbad scrunched his nose, he wasn’t so lucky. “These little fuckheads take the fun out of burning them!”

“It’s not so bad!”, called the voice of Fizzypop from a few feet away. He was busy tossing headcrabs to his dog sidekick, Fizzypup. The golden retriever would grab them from the air with its mouth, throwing them around like chew toys. It would be cute if it weren’t so disgusting.

As expected, it was all very easy to handle. Just some nasty little vermin, to them. Ever since they’d started popping up a year ago, so too had the Energized, with the powers to stomp them down. Not every Energized was a superhero, but they all had powers they started integrating into their lives, for better or worse. Most superheroes, however, were Energized. How else could one fight against the new, alien threats encroaching the Earth?

“With a big fucking gun” had been Gordon Freeman’s answer. Despite being at Black Mesa when the Event had happened, he’d made it out untouched by the powers that came from it. But he didn’t make it out unchanged.  
“‘Not so bad’ my ass!” Dr. Feelbad called back to Fizzypop. With a snap, blue flames roared from his hand as he threw the burning energy at the last of the headcrabs. It twitched and kicked as it burned, and he snickered at the sight.

PunchOut called to his fellow heroes, “Fine work, gentleman! I say we all celebrate!”

Freeman was, however, already running off. “Can’t! Got plans, sorry, maybe another time, see ya!”

“O- Oh, okay, Mister Freeman! Have a nice day!” Fizzypop waved goodbye, as Freeman made a beeline for Roswell Elementary.

He had turned the corner to the school when he realized he was still in costume- only to have a great idea spring to mind. He approached the school, kids taking notice and starting to crowd around him. Clearing his throat, he looked for Joshua in the crowd, spotting him in the back.

“Hello, uh- yes, it’s very nice to meet you all! I’ve been called by a kid’s father to take him home for today! Joshua- Joshua?” He called out to his son, the boy’s eyes going wide as he heard the statement.

The 3rd grader pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the looks he got for it.

“You’re here for me?” His brown eyes sparkled with wonder, his matching brown hair getting a little untamed as it curled down, almost over his eyes. Freeman couldn’t hold back a chuckle as he held out his hand to the boy.

“That’s right. Escorting you home is my most important mission, today.”

A bunch of kids whined when Freeman had to leave, and Joshua stuck his tongue out at the crowd, clearly gloating. He was Freeman’s most important mission, after all. On the walk home, Joshua talked and talked and talked.

“-and I said that PunchOut deserves a better figure cause right now he’s only got one, and I wanna have a couple. Hey, how do you know my dad?”

The question shocked Freeman out of his sense of calmness. “Oh, I- uh- we just- I go to Black Mesa sometimes! He mentioned working a little later today, and being worried about you, so I offered to uh… take you home.” He hoped it sounded convincing- a lot of heroes had reason to be acquainted with Black Mesa, after all.

“Oh, cool! You should be friends with my dad. He’s nerdy, but he’s really cool too.”

“Oh, totally. I’ll uh, I’ll talk to him next time I visit Black Mesa, alright?”  
“Yeah!!”

At this, the duo reached Gordon’s modest apartment. The man could afford greater, but he liked a simple home. Affordable meant having cushion money, and that was crucial when he had a son to think for. Without thinking, Freeman pulled out the key to the door, unlocking it.

“How’d you get a key?” Joshua inquired.

“Oh, your dad uh- he gave it to me, so I wouldn’t have trouble dropping you off, bud. Now, lock the door behind you when you get in, alright?”

“Now you sound like my dad, Mr. Freeman.”

The statement almost made him choke, but Freeman kept his composure, and said, “It’s my job to be protective, Joshua. Have a good day, alright?”

“Alright. Thanks and stuff!!” With a wave, Joshua had entered the apartment, and Freeman waited to hear the ‘click’ of the inner lock going, before turning to seek out a safe place to change.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Gordon opened the door to his apartment, he nearly tripped from the force of Joshua vaulting into his leg.

“Papa! Papa, I met Freeman!! THE Freeman!!”

Gordon laughed, beaming at the excitement his son displayed. His hand came down to ruffle the boy’s unruly curls, while the boy kept talking and talking, thanking his dad for “knowing such a cool superhero”. His heart swelled at all the praise- there was no greater feeling than knowing he was succeeding in what he set out to accomplish. 

“You don’t have to thank me, buddy. Freeman’s a, uh, a nice guy. Y’know, he offered and everything. I was pretty surprised myself.”

Gordon spoke as he went into the apartment, opening his fridge to prepare for dinner-

“Ah, shit.”

“Dad!! I get a swear now!”

Oh, yeah, that. The “equal swear” system. He’d forgotten. Anytime he swore in front of his young son, Joshua got the right to say a single swear himself.

“Right, right, get it outta your system.”

“What if I wanna save it?”

Gordon blinked, doing a double-take.

“Little man, you’d better not use it outside of the apartment.”

“That was never a rule! I’m gonna save it for a really important moment. They said that words like that are used to um- emphasize stuff. I wanna emphasize something with my swear.”

With a sigh and the shake of the head, Gordon accepted it. “Alright then.”

“Why’d you swear?”

“Ah- I was supposed to pick up a pizza for tonight, but… work.”

“Can’t you order one?”

“It’s cheaper to just grab one from the convenience store… wanna come with me? You’re still dressed for it.”

Joshua nodded, grabbing his backpack and running to toss it in the bedroom. When Josh was over, he got Gordon’s bedroom, and Gordon took the fold-out couch. When Josh came back, Gordon opened the front door.

“Just a couple minute walk, you remember, right?”

“Can I get one of those ice cream sandwiches? With the cookies.”

“Bud, I always get you the Mrs. Fields. Of course.”

Hand in prosthetic hand, Gordon and Joshua went to the nearby convenience store, titled simply “Convenience”. As they walked, Joshua talked about much the same things he told Freeman. Since he thought he had a fresh set of ears, it made sense, and Gordon nodded along.

“Does Freeman have a figure yet?” Gordon asked, as if he didn’t already know the answer.

“Yeah, I wanna get it! I’m saving up allowance to buy all the Science Team!”  
Ah, of course- PunchOut’s fun little name for the Roswell superheroes. There had never been an official agreement, no team establishment, no handshakes, but the four (five, if you counted Fizzypup) had often just been around to aid each other when things went down. So, the media ate it up, and a catchphrase had been established: “Don’t Mess with the Science Team!”. The original version wasn’t so family friendly, but marketing needed something. 

“Do they come in a set?”

“Yup! It’s cheaper than buying them all one by one, so I’m saving up!”

“I’ll help, little man.”

“Nice!”

The two entered the convenience store, and Gordon headed for the freezer section, completely missing how Joshua grabbed a bag of gummy bears along the way. Upon seeing the selection of pizzas, he hummed thoughtfully, as if unsure of what to get. Joshua rolled his eyes. They did this every time.

“I just- gosh, there’s so many options- why don’t you pick, Josh?”

“Meat lovers! Always meat lovers, dad!” he exclaimed.

“Ohhh right, right, of c-”

There was a whine from the convenience store speakers that cut him off, and through it came a rough voice.

“I’ve come to make an announcement- Freeman is a stinky boy.”

Gordon’s eyes widened, his heart stopping in his chest. Hatred shook him. He knew that goddamn voice. That supervillain, who always antagonized him, gave him hell, annoyed him- if there was one person Gordon hated more than Benrey, it was him.

The supervillain, Security.

He didn’t even do supervillain shit! No hostage situations, takeovers, or evil ray guns! He and his stupid skeleton minions just did dumb shit like graffitti and robbing the local gamestops! It was annoying as shit and Gordon was tired. But, in this situation, he was trapped- unable to shift to his hero persona. And, worst of all, his fellow Science Team members didn’t even see Security as a threat! So they sure as hell weren’t gonna show up.

A couple of skeletons could be seen taking candy from the candy aisle, while Security stood behind the counter and talked shit into the microphone- all about Freeman.

Gordon was content to just play this off as a civilian would, going about his shopping and seeming unaffected, but Joshua ran forward before Gordon could stop him.

“Josh- !!”

“You’re a loser! Freeman is really cool!!”

Security stopped, glancing uncaringly at the kid. For a moment, there seemed to be a glint of recognition in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came.

“Oh yeah? Little cringe baby? Cringe baby with a cringe hero?”

“Jokes on you! I don’t know what cringe means!” After a moment of hesitation, Josh continued with a loud, “Now fuck off!”

Gordon couldn’t help the obnoxious snort he let out. He’d hurried to his son’s side, holding their chosen pizza, and staring at Security. The man had never been known for cruelty, but Gordon couldn’t trust a supervillain not to harm a child over something petty. Instead of seeming angry, Security actually smirked. He nodded, as if in understanding, then grinned.

“Alright, damn. Geeze.” He motioned for his minions to follow him out as he left the store, his stolen goods in tow. “Bye then.” 

After a quiet moment, the frazzled cashier looked at the duo, and said, “I can uh… ring that up for you.”

And so, the night continued as normal. Over pizza, Gordon and his son talked about cool games, and setting up their minecraft server. When Josh went to bed, Gordon laid on the couch and watched TV silently, until he passed out. 

It was just another day in Roswell.


	2. Issue 2: Working Arrangements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changes are happening at Black Mesa, but that doesn't matter quite as much as babysitting Gordon's kid.

“You want a McGriddle?”

“Two!”

“Josh, you can’t have two McGriddles.”

“Freeman would get me two McGriddles.”

“...low blow, buddy. Low blow.”

The drive to work had taken a detour, that morning- one that led directly to the McDonalds drive-thru. A fight had broken out on the main route to work, between Dr. Feelbad and Hypersuctor, and the villain’s ass getting kicked had led to a massive traffic jam. A lot of his coworkers were probably gonna be late, leading to Gordon praying that Tommy and Bubby weren’t among them- they were gonna be watching Joshua until Gordon got his work done.

“Hi, welcome to McDonald’s, what can I get you?” chimed the speaker outside the window.

“Yeah uh, can I get two sausage McGriddles, three hashbrowns, and a Quarter Pounder?”

Josh silently cheered as he heard he got his wish for two breakfast sandwiches, and the rest of the breakfast acquisition went smoothly.

“Don’t eat until we reach the lab, they’ve got our drinks in the breakroom.”

“Is it soda?”

“Kid, I already gotcha two McGriddles, now you want soda with breakfast? Buddy, come on.”

“It’s totally soda.”

Gordon snorted, holding in a laugh. Yeah, it was soda.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bubby and Tommy aren’t here yet, Gordon.”

The words of Gordon’s nightmares. Of fucking course.

Dr. Coomer had been delighted to see Joshua, obviously. Benrey, too, had slipped a high-five to the kid when he entered with Gordon. Now, as Gordon and Coomer talked, Benrey had Joshua on his back, walking around to ask people for their passports. 

“They were the only ones free to watch Josh while I got my morning work done, I need them to be here!”

Coomer blinked as if confused. “Why, Gordon- didn’t Benrey offer to watch Joshua as well?”

“...Coomer, I’d rather die than leave my kid alone with Benrey.”

“BOOOOO, you’re a weenie,” Benrey called from the doorway, returning with said son still on his back.

“I can hang out with Benrey!” Joshua waved to his dad as he said it, adjusting himself on Benrey’s back, tightening his grip.

“Yeah, Gordos Fritos, he can hang with me. Right, Joshie?”

“Do not call my son that, ever. And- I just- are you sure, Joshua? He’s… really not as cool as you think.”

“Wow, worried your cool son will find out how cringe you are?” Benrey replied with a sneer, driving Gordon up the wall.

“You called him cringe yesterday!” Gordon exclaimed.

“Huh- wha? Nah.”

Gordon moved to oppose again, only for Coomer to put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’ll be fine, Gordon! Besides, we don’t have time to argue- it’s time for work!”

He hated having to leave Joshua with Benrey, but there really weren’t any other quick options. Gordon gave Benrey a hard stare, cold and ruthless.

“You take good care of my son, or I swear to god I will gut you with a pocket knife.”

“Huh? Oh yeah, whatever.”

With that, Dr. Coomer led Gordon away from the breakroom, and off to work. Now alone, Benrey leaned down to let Joshua to his feet.

“So uh… you have any cool video games?” Benrey asked. This part was strange to him, as he’d never actually had any time alone with Josh when he visited Black Mesa. Their interactions had been cut short by a Gordon dedicated to keeping them from even breathing near each other.

Joshua went to the breakroom fridge, taking out another soda- which he wasn’t allowed to have. He cracked it open, humming in thought.

“What do you mean by ‘cool’? Like, Minecraft and Fortnite cool? Or Halo cool?”

“Like Bambi for the Playstation 2 cool.”

Joshua choked on his soda from laughing, which did send Benrey into a brief, legitimate panic. He got down to his knees beside Joshua, only to find the boy laughing it off between his coughs.

“What?? That sounds stupid!”

“Uhh- no, bro, it’s like- a hidden classic, I swear.”

Josh giggled, shaking his head. “Dad said you were silly.”

That gave Benrey some pause. He hesitated, before prodding the subject with, “He talked about me?”

Joshua took a sip of his Mountain Dew, nodding nonchalantly. “Yeah, sometimes. He says he doesn’t like you, but he sure does talk about you a lot. I dunno why he says you’re mean, you’ve been nice to me.”

“Oh- uh- it’s cause… he’s just weird. I dunno. I think we’re friends.” Benrey couldn’t quite meet Joshua’s eyes as he said it.

“I hope so, cause we’re friends.”

It was said so simply, but it still hit Benrey like a truck. He apparently took too long to reply, because Joshua went off on another conversation topic with ease.

“Who’s your favorite hero?”

Benrey hummed in thought, eager to ignore the strange feelings in his chest. He replied, simply, “Fizzypop. A cool guy.”

“I think his hat’s kinda silly,” Josh replied.

“Nah, it’s cool. Hey, you have a favorite villain?”

Joshua blinked. “Do people have those? Villains are evil.”

Benrey shrugged in response. “Yeah, but some have like, cool powers I guess. The Controller is lame, he’s just got a big head, but Houndeye has like, cool weird monster dogs.”

It gave Joshua pause, and the question seemed to seriously wrack his brain. After a moment, he replied very firmly, “I’d say Security because he doesn’t hurt people. He steals and does graffiti and acts rude, and hates my favorite hero, so he still sucks. But he doesn’t hurt people, so he’s the least worst.” Josh then nodded, satisfied with his reply.

“Huh. Your favorite hero?”

“Freeman! He always says stupid mean things about Freeman. But it’s okay, cause he’s wrong, and I told him to fuck off!”

Benrey pretended to be scandalized, but only for a second. He snickered, letting himself relax.

“Yeah, that is stupid. Freeman’s like a friend. A cool. He doesn’t even have powers but he still does stuff with a cool gun, so that’s neat. Security’s stupid.” Benrey finished the statement with a nod of agreement. He ignored the clenching in his gut, as he and Josh kept up a friendly conversation. Benrey was technically shirking his work to do this, but he didn’t care. He often found it hard to care about much of anything.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gordon and Coomer sat beside each other at the meeting table, listening to the new work outline for the next few weeks.

“We’ve seen some promising advancements in research on the Energized, but still no explainable source. But, despite that, our other focus- the Biological Makeup of the invading species- has led us to a new plan going forward.” Their superior addressed the many scientists at the table, checking that they hadn’t fallen asleep at his boring lecture. Once satisfied, he continued, “We’re going to be focusing our efforts on developing a Biosignal Tracker for alien life. Once we have progress, we’ll be able to sense aliens wherever they may be, no matter where they hide, within hopefully substantial ranges. The problem is that we have yet to acquire a living specimen to experiment with, which leads us to the most important aspect of the plan- we need to hire the Science Team.”

And that got the attention of the room. Some scientists nodded in understanding, while others seemed concerned, or even pissed, at the suggestion. Before they could go off, the man up front continued. “They are the ONLY people we know who could, reliably and safely, detain alien specimens using their powers. If we offer them compensation, we could ask them to try harder not to kill that which they fight, for the sake of public safety! We’ve already got the green light on going forward with this, so I don’t want to hear any complaining.”

Though a couple of groans cropped up, Dr. Coomer nudged Gordon gently on the arm.

“How exciting! We’ll be working with real superheroes! What an opportunity.” Coomer seemed delighted, though Gordon internally worried. Balancing his identities was hard enough already.

After some more, less important briefing, the meeting ended, and it was time for lunch.

“Gordon, I’d like to accompany you for lunch! Is that alright?”

“Dr. Coomer, we always have lunch together, you don’t have to ask.”

“Well, it feels polite.” Coomer’s smile radiated warmth, and Gordon couldn’t help but smile back as they headed for the usual room. From inside, Gordon’s smile grew brighter upon hearing his son inside. 

“I’m gonna make a pirate ship! It’s gonna be big and have a lot of beds!”

“Oh, that sounds so cool!” Came the sound of Tommy’s voice in reply.

Gordon sat beside his son, who was eating some chips from Gordon’s lunch- he must have pulled it out early. He ruffled his son’s hair. “Talking about our server?”

“Yeah! You said we could start getting the wood and stuff tonight!”

“That I did, little man.” Gordon nodded, taking his sandwich from the bag Josh had taken out, with “Gordon” written on it in sharpie. 

Bubby, sitting across from Joshua, was joined by Coomer, who sat at his right side. 

“That sounds delightful! Doesn’t it, Bubby?”

“Hm- yeah, uh- I’m sure this… game is very worth your time.” He forced a smile, for the sake of his upbeat friend. Gordon knew he didn’t mean it- Bubby thought video games were all “baby stuff, a waste of time, stupid shit”. But Gordon didn’t care about his opinion anyway.

Tommy, sitting at Joshua’s other side, looked at the doorway. “Oh! Hi Benrey, hi Darnold!”

And, at that, the two he called to walked over. Benrey had wet hands, which he promptly plopped onto the back of Gordon’s neck.

“Dude!! Why!?”

“Outta paper towels in the bathroom.”

Darnold, sipping from a Powerade, nodded. “It’s unfortunate. Upper management should really do something about these shortages.”

“Ah, they’re not gonna do shit!” Bubby chimed in. “It’s always a mess in there, no matter how many paper towels we have…”

Tommy took Darnold’s hand as the conversation went on, the group discussing the negligence of management, then talking about Minecraft at Joshua’s request. That lunch went by quickly, and Gordon checked the time.

“Shi- Shoot. Time’s almost up. Benrey, you uh… you up to watch Josh until I’m done today?”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

The response didn’t make Gordon confident, but he once again had few other options. Darnold offered up a smile.

“Don’t you worry, Gordon! I’m done for today, so I’ll stick around with the sport too!”

“God, really? I don’t wanna ask too much of you.”

Darnold shook his head. “It’s nothing! Josh is a great kid.”

“I am!” Josh quipped.

“Well.. alright. Benrey, Darnold- I’m trusting you.”

With that, the many employees eating in the break room threw their trash out, got to their feet, and scoured off to tackle the final stretch of the workday.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Up we go!”

Gordon had taken Josh from Darnold’s arms into his own, laughing as his boy hugged him.

“Hope you weren’t too lonely, sorry about the work…” Gordon offered.

“It’s alright! It sucks, but I know you can’t say no to work. That’s how you get in trouble.” Joshua hugged his dad, letting himself be carried as they went to Gordon’s car.

Gordon thanked his lucky stars that his son was so understanding. Joshua may have been a little manipulative scamp sometimes, but he also had some strong morals in that little head of his. Being a little selfish was a small thing compared to how often Josh acted selflessly in spite of his more personal demands and attitudes.

It was as he opened the backseat door for Joshua that a scream tore through the air.

Then came the snarling.

Gordon, Joshua, and all their leaving coworkers all turned to the sounds and saw just what they feared- a supervillain. Houndeye, the dog trainer. Jumping onto cars and running at people in the parking lot, the armored individual’s numerous “dogs” were let off their leashes, their many-eyed faces boring into their soon-to-be victims. Many scientists tried to retreat back into the facility, faces Gordon did, and didn’t recognize. He cursed internally- this was shit timing, and he would not leave his kid here while he went to get in hero gear. Instead, he hurried Josh into the backseat and shut the door roughly. With speed akin to a blue hedgehog, Gordon jumped into the front seat and shoved his keys in, starting the car and slamming the gas.

“JOSH, SEATBELT, NOW!” Gordon said, far too loud for their little space, due to his anxiety. While saying this, he ignored his own lack of a seatbelt, desperate to get the fuck outta dodge.

“Dad- the right!”

Gordon saw the dog in his rearview mirror as Josh pointed it out, and he swerved the car as best he could, dodging its lunge. He tore rubber towards the road, swerving through traffic- he felt like a royal asshole about it, but he had a goddamn kid in his car, and he’d be damned if a single hair on his head got hurt. Joshua leaned up and looked back, through the back mirror of the car.

“I see PunchOut! He’s helping!”

Thank god. He wasn’t leaving a bunch of defenseless people without a hero. Fortunately for him, the dogs gave up interest in chasing Gordon’s car once they heard the call of their master, demanding backup as heroes arrived to stop them. Letting out the breath he didn’t know he was holding, Gordon aimed for home-

-Only to scream and swerve when, from a building, down landed the Kingpin. 

Right in front of his car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have designs for all the superheroes in this fic! If you're curious, check them out on my art blog: https://deldraws19.tumblr.com/post/618973675874582528/i-made-an-au-of-wayneradiotvs-fantastic-hlvrai
> 
> Thanks for the love and support!!


	3. Issue 3: Responsibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mad rush to protect the one you love most- that is your responsibility.

Gordon slammed on the brakes, the car skidding as it struggled to stop. Joshua screamed, and the sound tore Gordon’s heart in two. When it finally came to a halt, Gordon practically jumped from the front seat, rushing to open Joshua’s car door. Driving wasn’t safe now- he could hear screaming as The Kingpin used his psionic power to lift and throw other vehicles. They needed to run. As he threw open the backseat door, he reached inside and pulled the freshly unbuckled Joshua into his arms. 

The boy clutched onto his father, eyes wide. It was always easy to talk about these things happening until they happened around you. Gordon took off running, zipping between nearby buildings- apartments, it seemed- and sticking to alleys. Behind him, he heard the smashing of something large and metal against a building. The screaming clutched him, and he could do nothing to help.

“Joshua, cover your ears! Now!” 

Back and forth, between the backs of buildings, Gordon could feel himself getting lost, but also knew he was unseen in this position. He needed to get Josh somewhere safe, somewhere where he could change- then, he realized his mistake.

His hero gear was in his work bag. The one in the trunk of his car. He was defenseless.

Running through the pathways, Gordon finally came out on the other side of somewhere, standing on a sidewalk. He could see a road, this one untouched by chaos. He had no idea how long he’d run, or hot far, just that the searing red heat in his throat made him swallow thickly. Far behind him, the sounds were distant, but still deafening. Joshua was shaking.

“It’s- hey, hey bud, we’re safe. We’re alright.” Gordon slid a hand through his son’s hair, fingers carding through the wild locks. He rocked, shushing his panicked child. Home- he had to get home. He could go back for his car later, but right now he needed to figure out where he was and

“DAD!!”

He heard his son scream before seeing the sharp, spiked tendril shooting from the building window behind him. Gordon stumbled, the tentacle shooting past him to lodge itself in the road. From the wrecked window behind him, he could hear snickering. A figure emerged, with multiple tentacles on their back, being used to hold the person themself in the air. It was Hypersuctor- another supervillain. At once, Gordon realized what this was: a coordinated attack. Which was strange, because until now? These supervillains had all acted alone. Some shared similar minions, those being the Grunts and Vorts, but they never acted together. Until right now.

While he was powerless, his most precious person cradled in his arms.

Gordon looked for cover. Something, anything, to hide himself and Josh, but he was too slow. Hypersuctor spotted the moment and laughed, shooting a tentacle out to lodge in the ground before him. They were playing with him, and the realization lit a white-hot spark of rage in Gordon. He prepared to put Joshua down, to tell him to run. They could take him, but he’d be damned if they took his kid with him. Right as he moved to lower his son, Hypersuctor prepared another attack- only to scream as a blast of light made impact with their back. It was bright red, blinding energy in the form of an orb. And another came flying, thrown from the hands of a skeleton. 

Security came up behind Gordon and Joshua, and he said, simply, “Get back behind that building, across the street. It’s safer there.”

Gordon inhaled, about to yell right back- “Do you think I’m insane!? I’d never trust you! You’re a villain!”- but he stopped, the words lodged in his throat. Security may have been a joke in action, but in power, he was… strong. And Gordon knew it. He could see the skeletons struggling to fight, from the corner of his eye. He nodded.

Joshua glanced briefly at Security, just as Gordon started to run. He called out, “Why!?”

Security answered, “I’m not a monster,” before turning to jump at Hypersuctor, his mouth opening into a song of vicious fury.

With feet pounding on the ground, Gordon thanked his lucky stars that he’d always been an athletic sort. Going straight to where Security instructed, he realized what he’d done. In the heat of the moment, he’d trusted a man he hated more than anyone else. He could only hope that the concern was genuine, that Security truly was a good enough man to want to protect a child. It was a low bar, but Security was a supervillain. 

The bar had to be low.

Then, he saw what Security must have wanted him to find. A hatch, hidden by some tossed out garbage bags. He scrambled to it, letting Joshua out of his grip in order to pull it open. There, inside, was what looked to be a ladder to a bunker.

“In here- we’ll be safe here! Come on,” he ushered Joshua to the ladder, helping support his son as he climbed down. The room it led to was small, Gordon noted, as he followed his son.

“I’m gonna close the hatch, okay? It’ll be dark for a second.”

Joshua nodded, unable to force out a verbal acknowledgment. With that, Gordon shut the hatch and finished his climb down. Patting himself down, Gordon whipped out his phone, turning it on and shining the light at the ceiling. The room was small, cramped. Clearly meant to be just an entranceway to a bigger underground safehold. Joshua went up to the only door in the room and tried to pull it open. When it didn’t give, he tried to push. When it didn’t give again, he gave up, plopping to the ground. Gordon sat beside him, and Joshua crawled into his lap. Though muffled now, the noise outside was still audible. It was, at this point, that Gordon flashed his light around the room, taking in the surroundings. The walls were gray, sturdy concrete, and there was nothing interesting around, save for a bag on the ground in the corner. Gordon squinted, the light barely letting him register it- then he blinked. 

“Hey, Josh- can you… hand me that bag?”

Joshua nodded, crawling off his dad’s lap long enough to grab it and come back. Shining the light back on the bag, Gordon’s suspicions were confirmed. This was his bag.

“It’s… heavy. What do you think’s in it?” Josh asked.

“Well- um.” Gordon didn’t quite know how to respond. Maybe he and Security just had identical bags? “Here, let me look inside first. In… case it’s something dangerous.”

Joshua nodded, sitting across from his dad this time. Gordon, carefully, unzipped the top of the bag and reached inside, searching for something familiar. Then, he felt it- his armor, in its closed-up state, and his mask. This was his bag, but he had no worldly idea of how it got there. Did Security take it? Did he know who he was? The thought ran through his head until he felt something unfamiliar. Pulling out the paper, Gordon looked it over.

“You should take better care not to forget something so crucial, Freeman.  
-Goodman”

The note sent a chill through Gordon’s body, and he quickly stuffed it back into the bag.

“Just boring, personal stuff. Nothing we should look through.”

Joshua looked like he had a rebuttal, but the hatch to their hiding spot opened. Like lightning, Gordon was covering Josh with his own body, looking back to the opening.

Security waved. “Hey. Get the heck out.”

Gordon relaxed, letting go of his son. As he stood, he held his hand out for Josh to take, helping him up as well. With some nervousness, Gordon slung the bag over his shoulder, as Joshua climbed the ladder. Security, waiting for them at the top, raised a brow at the sight.

“Hey, where’d you get the bag?”

Gordon faltered. “It’s mine. I just, uh… you didn’t see it before?”

Security looked unimpressed, but Joshua stepped forward, changing the subject. 

“Thanks for helping us. Why are you a villain if you help people?”

Gordon considered the question, while also congratulating his son internally. “Way to get him off my case”, he thought.

Security replied near-instantly with “Cause it’s fun. I can, like, make art. And uh, steal stuff. That doesn’t get people hurt, so it’s fine.” He shrugged.

“It’s really not,” Gordon replied. “But… I’d feel pretty shitty if I gave you trouble after you saved us. It’s the bare minimum, but still… thanks, I guess. Hey, how are the heroes?”

Once again, Security shrugged. “I made that tentacle creep run off, and I heard that the puppy guy was done for. So I think it’s like, safe for you to come out.”

“Right… well, um. We’ll be… going now?” Gordon felt awkward. This was awkward. And ugh, now he’d have to deal with conflicting feelings about the guy he was supposed to hate. Lovely.

Joshua waved to Security as he and Gordon ran off, hand in hand. Fortunately for Gordon, his running had taken them in the vague direction of his apartment complex. On the way, though, he noticed a Burger King. Stopping, he motioned for Joshua to look.

“Seems like it came out unscathed… Do you wanna get an early dinner, bud? You can uh… have a milkshake?” he offered. 

Joshua took a second, using it to take a deep breath. All things considered, he was holding it together incredibly well. The young man nodded, putting on the best smile he could manage.

“Please. Hell yeah.”

“Joshua!”

“You said the S-Word earlier! I got another one to use!”

“...ya got me there.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gordon couldn’t sleep. Laying on his sofa, he felt his eyes burning holes into the ceiling. Memories of the day replayed, over and over, all too real. He had called in to work once they got home, demanding the day off after what happened. Fortunately, his superiors had been willing to fold on the demand. Tomorrow was all for his son, all for their recovery.

He got to his feet, careful not to be loud. Tiptoeing, he approached the bedroom door and snuck a peek in. The lump under his comforter was shaking, and he could see it easily. The sniffles weren’t easily disguised, either. His chest clenched, and he felt himself become overwhelmed. But, for the sake of his kid, he took a deep breath and held it in- just like Joshua had likely done for him earlier.

Joshua’s head peeked from the covers once Gordon sat on the edge of the bed. The clock read 1:23 AM. He offered a smile he prayed was reassuring.

“Hey, bud… sorry to wake you up, but uh… I’ve been having nightmares. Just wondering if we could share the bed tonight?”

Joshua practically leaped into his arms. The boy’s sobs made him tremble, as he nodded his head with too much vigor. Gordon laid down, pulling Josh to lay with him, and held him close. A kiss was pressed to the child’s head, as Gordon shushed and soothed him, until his cries died down to small whimpers, then to silence. Once Josh was sleeping, Gordon felt a weight release from his body.

He still didn’t get any sleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joshua was in the midst of mining iron ore, when a knock came from the door. Gordon, in the kitchenette, called out “Who is it!?”

“Mister Freeman! It’s- it’s Tommy! And Darnold!” came the muffled reply.

“Door’s unlocked! Sorry, my hands are, uh,” he glanced at the hamburger meat in his hands. “Occupied!”

Darnold held the door open for Tommy, with a quiet “After you.” muttered to the taller man.

Joshua paused his Minecraft session, setting his laptop aside to run over and greet the visitors.

“I didn’t know you were coming!” Joshua exclaimed.

“Neither did I. Good thing I was making enough Beefaroni for a full family anyway.”

Darnold smiled, getting down onto his knees. From this height, he was more on Joshua’s level.

“Making lunch, Gordon?” He called over.

The brunette nodded, setting to work on cooking. “Should be done in like, twenty minutes? Oh, hey- can you guys help Josh with his homework? He said it was something about the uh- the Cascade.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Freeman!” Tommy replied, moving to sit at the table Joshua’s laptop was at. “We know all about that!”

“I mean, we were there for it.”

“Exactly, Mr. Freeman!”

Joshua sat at his laptop, minimizing Minecraft and opening his homework- a set of questions about the Resonance Cascade. Darnold approached, leaning over from behind Tommy. The other man leaned his head onto Darnold’s shoulder as they looked at the homework, examining the questions. It was all simple stuff- when the Cascade happened (“December 27th, 2018,” Darnold offered), what being Energized meant (“Being infected by Resonance Energy, and developing unique biological abilities!” exclaimed Tommy), and other questions of a similar vein. Identifying types of aliens, answering how people got Energized, it was all very new to schools, admittedly. But, they had to keep everyone informed on the rapid changes to human life that had followed the Cascade, even kids. With ease, Joshua and the two men aiding him sped through the worksheet, while Gordon hummed and watched over his cooking lunch.

Time passed swiftly. Lunch was enjoyed, Darnold and Tommy acted schmoopy, Joshua showed off his work-in-progress Minecraft world. By 4 PM, they were all watching movies on the couch. Josh looked at Darnold and Tommy, leaning against each other on the cushions.

“Are you two… in love?” He asked, a bit shyly.

Gordon blinked, looking at Joshua. 

“Whoa, what brought that question up?”

Joshua motioned at Tommy and Darnold. “They keep holding hands and stuff!”

Darnold grew a little flustered, seemingly unsure of how to answer. Tommy, meanwhile, was delighted by the question.

“Yes, we are! We’re boyfriends.” Tommy eagerly replied. At that, Darnold hid his face in Tommy’s shoulder.

“I- I mean- yes, that’s right..!” Despite his nerves, Darnold wouldn’t stop smiling. Gordon chuckled at the sight, happy to see his friends in such a nice position.

Joshua smiled too, nodding. His curiosity was satisfied. He looked at his dad, then, and asked, “What about you? You said you don’t like people, right?”

Gordon snorted. “No, I said I… don’t feel attracted to people the way most others are attracted to people. It’s a little complicated for you to understand right now, but…”

Josh nodded. “It’s icky stuff?”

“Yeah, icky stuff.”

Tommy and Darnold laughed. “Is that what you call it?” Darnold asked.

“It’s our code word for ‘Adult Topics’, yeah.”

“Smart.”

With that, the conversation died down again, as they all let their movie picks steal their attention away.

That night, after the guests had left, and dinner was done, Joshua went to bed with ease. Gordon asked if he wanted to share the bed again, but Josh shook his head, said he was okay, and kissed his dad goodnight. When Gordon shut the bedroom door, he let the relief wash over him in waves. Waves so strong, he felt as though he were pushed onto his couch, ready to sleep himself. He smiled into the couch cushions, calmer than he felt he had any right to be.

He could let himself have a nice moment, just for now. God knows he needed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a cover for the Fic! Check it out here: https://deldraws19.tumblr.com/post/619384801503428608/a-quick-cover-for-my-hlvrai-superhero-au


	4. Issue 4: Unfriendly Foe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new threat, an old friend, a threatening offer.

The calm never lasted. Not in Roswell.

When the reports came in, of a rampaging monster unlike any seen before, under the command of the sickly Mr. Friendly, Gordon was out of the lab before anyone knew he was even there. Joshua had been playing with Darnold, who ran with the boy to hide in a Black Mesa safety bunker. Gordon may not have known Darnold too well, but he trusted the man like he trusted any of his other friends. There was nowhere safer for Joshua to be. With that safety secure, Gordon had taken his prosthetic arm off, and reattached his gun, fully loaded.

"Freeman! Help Fizzypop with evacuations!" PunchOut was in the midst of punching into the leg of the massive new alien, when he arrived. Dr. Feelbad, meanwhile, was blasting flames that seemed to dissipate uselessly against its armor.

"Finally, you're back! Where the fuck were you when there were three supervillains busting our asses, Freeman!?" Feelbad griped, growing annoyed with his lack of progress.

As Freeman rushed past to aid Fizzypop, he called out, "Busy! I have a life outside of this, you know! It was bad timing!"

"I'm just glad you're back, Mister Freeman!" Fizzypop waved to Freeman as he approached. Fizzypup barked, running alongside some fleeing citizens, leading them away.

"Glad to be back, Fizz. Any ideas what this thing is?"

"No clue, Mister Freeman! I've named it the Golem Ape, but Mr. Friendly probably knows its real name."

"Yeah? Where is that spindly fuck?" Freeman looked around, scoping the area. His goggles weren't just for fashion- he activated various vision modes, seeking out signatures that could be the supervillain behind this attack. None came up, and Freeman cursed under his breath.

"We saw him earlier, but- but he used the chaos to run away! I think he just left the Golem Ape and left... that's bad pet ownership!" 

"Yeah, uh- it is." Freeman agreed.

"Feelbad!" PunchOut's concerned cry rang out, just as Freeman saw the Doctor get blasted by energy from the hand of the Golem Ape. Feelbad went flying into the road, his body skidding on impact with the pavement. PunchOut ran after the man, and while his concern was touching, the beast was now free of their distraction. It turned to the fleeing civilians, the remaining stragglers seeing the shift in attention and panicking.

"Fizzy, get them out of here, I'll keep this thing's attention!"

"Are- are you sure? It's really big!"

"Yes! Save these people and go!"

Fizzy nodded, motioning for the stragglers to follow him as he pulled out and chugged another soda. Crushing the empty can in his fist, he threw it aside (while apologizing for littering) and grabbed a couple kids, hoisting them up under his arms as he bolted off. While the innocents followed, Gordon turned his gun on the beast, firing at what looked like its face. The bullets bounced uselessly against its armor, earning Freeman a look of rage from it. The Golem Ape’s massive pincers opened, a blast of burning fire streaming towards Freeman. 

“Shit!” He ducked to the right, feet shooting forward to push himself away from the flames. He looked to the road ahead, seeing PunchOut and Feelbad back on their feet. 

“PunchOut! I need to get to a rooftop! Gimme a boost!”, came Freeman’s warning as he jumped for the larger hero.

“Onwards and upwards!” The green hero replied, grabbing Freeman as he lunged closer, spinning to keep momentum, then throwing him into the air with all his might. Eyeing a nearby rooftop, he aimed his gun arm in the opposite direction and fired, the shot sending him flying in the right direction. The landing was clumsy, but he skidded to his feet on the roof of an office building, now high above the Golem Ape below. Freeman took aim once more, distracting the creature enough that it didn’t see the blur of green and blue rushing for it. In a flurry, PunchOut’s fists knocked the beast backwards, staggering it. Doctor Feelbad pulled a vial from his side and tossed it against the shell of the Golem Ape’s back. It shattered on impact, and the doctor snapped his fingers, igniting the chemical and drawing a cry from the beast.

“That ought to wear it down! Buy it some time to eat through the armor!”

“On it!” Freeman called down, using his visor to lock-on to the alien’s eyes. Opening fire, the onslaught kept the beast turning from hero to hero, enraged and unsure who to attack, its pincers flew open, letting out waves of fire again, knocking PunchOut and Feelbad back once more. Looking to Freeman, the Golem Ape readied itself and-

“HOLY FUCK!!”

Freeman screamed as the beast jumped, its legs somehow having the power to carry its gargantuan weight through the air. Slamming into the rooftop, the following shockwave cracked the floor below it, throwing Freeman aside like a ragdoll. Skipping like a rock on water, he bounced against the cracking floor, skidding to a halt as he forced his feet to the ground.

“Shit, this building better be evacuated..!” he hissed, looking up just in time to see the beast charging for him. Unable to move in time, its arm slammed into him, throwing him even further- and completely off the rooftop. Freeman gasped, his body plummeting toward the ground now, and he tucked into a ball, praying his armor was enough.

When he felt arms catch him, his eyes snapped open. They weren’t big enough to be PunchOut’s, and Feelbad’s would have snapped on impact, twigs that they were. Freeman looked up, into the eyes of his hero.

“That was a pretty weak move, Feetman.”

Freeman groaned.

“The fuck are you doing here!?” he griped. 

Security blinked, then glared halfheartedly. “Dude, I just- come on, I caught you, like the football. Isn’t that sick?” he replied.

Freeman responded by forcing himself out of the grip, and onto his feet. In the distance, he saw Fizzypop and Fizzypup rushing to their aid, the dog jumping to try and bite into the Golem Ape.

“Be careful, Fizzypup!” his owner called. The taller hero saw Security and beamed, waving.

“Security! Thanks for coming to help!!”

Security gave a thumbs up, nonchalantly walking up to the giant creature and singing in its direction. Freeman gave Fizzypop a look, hidden by his goggles and mask.

“Did you ask him to help?”

Fizzypop nodded. “I saw him during the- the evacuations!”

“Great. Great.”

PunchOut was beaming as the song Security sang enveloped the Golem Ape, causing it to falter and slow. “Your voice is beautiful, as always!” 

Freeman scanned the beast again, while it was calmed, and noticed some armor had been eaten away by Feelbad’s earlier chemical attack. Swiftly, he raised his gun, staring down the beast’s now-exposed flesh, and fired a relentless spray of bullets into it. The pain seemed to break it from the trance, but the voice suddenly tightened around the alien, trapping it within the light. Writhing, crying out, it bled and bled as Freeman fired into it. Again, and again, until it stopped moving.  
The heroes surrounded the creature, now motionless. 

“Fine shooting, Freeman!” PunchOut gave a thumbs up.

“Thanks.”

The light around the Golem Ape faded. Looking around, Fizzypop frowned.

“No sign of Mr. Friendly?”

Freeman shook his head. “I scanned far and wide, no sign of the jackass.”

Fizzypup whined, approaching Security. The villain pet the dog absentmindedly.

“Weird shit. Never seen this thing before.”

“It’s fucking ugly.” Feelbad remarked. Kicking its side, he sneered. “Gave us too much trouble.”

“We need to haul it back to Black Mesa. They wanted alien samples, right?” Freeman looked to the others, who all nodded- except for Security, who was very suddenly gone. Of course.

“I’ll handle it! These puppies can lift cars with ease, so why not a disgusting alien corpse!” With that, PunchOut grabbed the Golem Ape as best as he could, lifting it with as much might as he could manage, and started dragging it away. “See you gentlemen some other time!”

With that goodbye, the heroes dispersed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The weight of the week had started to settle in Gordon’s stomach. Sparing a glance at his son, whose hand he held as they walked, he noticed how okay Joshua looked. The boy was happy, fine, safe. The rate at which he, and the rest of the world, has accepted these events as the new normal? Well, it shocked Gordon. He supposed he was thankful for it. Troubled, but thankful.

Josh looked around as they strolled, seeing a nearby park and tugging his dad towards it.

“Hey, I see your friend!”

Gordon blinked, scanning the park for whoever he meant. It took him a moment, but upon seeing the swingset, he saw her. A long time friend from outside work was being pushed on a swing by her other friend, seemingly having a nice time. Good thing the swings were built sturdy.

“Hey, yeah! Wanna go say hi, little man?”

Josh nodded, pulling Gordon into the park. Upon seeing their approach, the woman on the swing smiled and waved. Her chubby friend stopped pushing to wave as well, only for the woman swinging back to hit him and knock him on his ass. Gordon winced, hurrying over as the lady stopped the swing.

“Ah geeze, Wheatley, you okay bud?”

“Yup! Perfectly fine, absolutely stellar, of course.” The man was helped up by Gordon, adjusting his glasses as he stood. “Just dandy, Mister Freeman.”

“Come on, you know you can call me Gordon.” He looked to the lady, who was now at Wheatley’s side. “Hey, Chell. Josh spotted you guys and wanted to come say hi.”

The woman- Chell- smiled at the young boy, waving to him.

“You can talk to me! I’ve been working on it!” Joshua replied.

At that, Chell blinked, holding out her hands to sign to him. “You can understand?”

“Uh… yes. Kind of? I’m still learning! But I’m getting it, I think. I know the whole alphabet now!”

“Impressive.” Wheatley offered, smiling. “You know, if you uh- need help, well, not to brag, but I picked it up rather quickly.”

Chell rolled her eyes, knowing that was a lie. She wasn’t about to embarrass him, though. He did that to himself more than enough.

“I’ve got it handled, though thanks for the offer.” Gordon chuckled, knowing better as well. “How’s work been at Aperture?”

As Chell signed “Good”, Wheatley groaned and replied “Awful.” The two looked at each other.

“Well, okay, maybe it’s been good for you, but my boss likes you!” Wheatley elaborated. “She can’t stand me! Makes my work hell- er, heck, sorry bud.” He looked to Josh.

“Can that give me a free swear, Dad?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Darn.”

Chell chuckled, a soundless action. “Sorry, Josh.” she signed, her expression apologetic. Then, referring to Wheatley, she said “I’m sorry she doesn’t like you. Maybe I can talk to her?”

“Oh, would you? Please? I’m dying under all my paperwork, luv, it’s a nightmare. And, ugh, Maintenance won’t get off my aaaaaaah- keister, about a mistake I made on some of their permission forms…”

The topic was boring Josh, clearly, but he was too polite to interrupt. So, Gordon did for him.

“Well, when you guys aren’t busy, we should all head somewhere. Maybe, like, I dunno, an arcade? Just to hang out. Josh goes home in a few days, but…”

“Sorry, busy for the rest of the week.” Chell replied. “But we can clear time the week after next. Right, Wheat?”

“Oh! Yes, certainly, I’ll um- check the ol’ schedule! It’ll be nice to have a fun break, finally…”

Gordon gave Wheatley a look of sympathy- well, more like pity. He had heard the woes before, of him and Chell’s robotic overlord boss, and her unrelenting mean streak. He gave Wheatley a supportive pat on the shoulder.

“Hang in there, bud.”

As the three conversed, Joshua hopped onto the free swing next to them.

“Dad, can we stay a while! I wanna swing!”

“Huh? Oh, sure. Just not too late, I’ve still gotta make dinner when we get home.”

Wheatley hopped onto the swing Chell had been on, calling “dibs! It’s my turn!” as he did so. Chell shook her head, smiling apologetically at Gordon as she went to push him. Gordon, in turn, looked to Josh.

“Want me to push you?”

“Nah, I wanna get high on my own!”

“Alright… well, I’m gonna go to one of the benches, alright? I’ll come get ya when it’s time to go home.”

With that, Gordon went to a bench at the edge of the park. The swings were still within sight, but the distance was sizable. He needed a break, after the stress of that morning’s battle. With a sigh, he shut his eyes, leaning against the harsh back of the bench. Time blended together, as he sat, silent.

His eyes opened as he registered a presence beside him. Weird- he didn’t feel anyone take a seat.

“Hello… you are, Gordon, Freeman, correct?”

Straightening up, he glanced at the man beside him. Pale, aged, well-dressed. Distinctly frightening.

“Uh… hi? Do I know you?” Gordon hesitantly replied.

“Hm… no, not until now… but I, well- I know you, Mister Freeman… you did great work today. That alien stood no chance against your, let's say… tenacity.”

His blood ran cold. Slowly, terrified, he turned his head to fully face his companion. The man smiled, serenely, as if he hadn’t revealed his knowledge of Gordon’s most important secret.

“You look worried, Mister Freeman, but I must assuage your present fears… I have no intention of revealing this knowledge to anyone, of course… I simply wished to be, I suppose, transparent with you.”

“What the fuck do you want.”

“Nothing, yet… I simply wanted to… warn, you. The future will come swiftly, and without apology. Your abilities have intrigued me, thus far. In the future, there may be a place to… employ your services.” The man replied, slowly and methodically.

“Employ? Who the hell are you?”

The man chuckled. “Goodman. My name, is… Goodman. Do keep a better eye on your uniform, next time, Freeman.” With that, he stood. “I will keep in touch.”

Gordon blinked, and the man was gone. All that remained was the dread in his chest, gnawing away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's where I reveal it was a CROSSOVER all ALONG!! WHOAHOHOHOOO  
> Aperture Science is across the street from Black Mesa. it gets messy.
> 
> Also, I GOT SOME SICK ASS FANART FOR THIS FIC!! Check it!!  
> https://green-2-blue.tumblr.com/post/619809401851756544/hi-uhhhhhhhh-i-really-like-deldraws19-s-super  
> https://cookieeks-art.tumblr.com/post/619442618321010688/so-i-saw-deldraws19s-hlvrai-superhero-au-and-i  
> https://nonbenerey.tumblr.com/post/619665418368483328/thinkin-about-the-superhero-au-and-this-ship


	5. Issue 5: A New Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We now meet a new, opposing force...

Adrian Shephard believed himself to be a patient man. It took patience to deal with stressful situations, like robberies, or armed attacks, or any other crime, really. Patience was his virtue. So, patiently, he went through his papers again. Reports, all on the recent upswing of Supervillain attacks and sightings. Bios on each one, their known powers, their potential weaknesses, their connections. Theories on why, all at once, they were becoming more frequent. The questions wracked his brain, and he tapped his fingers against his desk. There were no real clues, no hints, nothing really substantial. Just sightings, and the very obvious revelation that villain attacks were becoming more frequent. Shep sighed, running a hand down his face.

The door to his office swung open, and in stepped his coworker, Forzen. The gruff man looked about as happy as someone really pissed off. Which, admittedly, was not a shock. Forzen was often pissed off, or at least marginally annoyed with most things. However, his current expression looked extra pissed off, so Shep braced himself for whatever was incoming. “Probably another online game reviewer rant,” Shep thought.

Instead, what he got was another file folder dropped onto his desk. The large man on the other side of his desk sighed, slumping into a chair against the wall. The duo’s eyes met.

“What’s this?” Shep asked.

Forzen grumbled, “It’s a new command. We have to stand down and focus on ‘normal’ crime. We report all supervillain and alien attack information to the heroes, now.”

Shep blinked, glancing down to the files he’d been pouring his energy into. The reports, the minimal notes, the witness statements- all outside of his jurisdiction in an instant.

“The chief decided this?” Shep seemed suspicious as he asked.

“They all decided this! Everyone but us!” Forzen threw his arms in the air, whining more than yelling. “I just wanted to like, fuckin’ help people!”

Shep sighed, his green eyes closing as he brought a hand to his face. Resting his head against his palm, he considered these new facts. Sure, it wasn’t like he was making much headway with this, but losing the chance to work on it at all… it left a sour taste in his mouth. For once, he understood Forzen’s anger. Without this, it would be back to regular police work.

Regular police work. The idea made Shep cringe. His body tensed. There were only two reasons he’d stayed on the force, after the Cascade: to investigate and protect people from the new threats, and to stay by his team. Or, what little was left of it. He figured he could probably do more good from within the system, rather than flailing aimlessly outside it. 

That had been a year ago. And it had been a long year since. A year where he learned a lot. A lot of the things he learned, he wished he hadn’t. Even sitting in that building made him feel dirty. Now, he had no excuse not to leave, except…

He looked to Forzen, who had taken out his phone. The man was, of course, pulling up some youtube review show. Blow off steam with some silly entertainment.

The guilt gnawed at him. Forzen didn’t just have friends in the force, he had family. Shep couldn’t get the man to leave, not if he asked. There was always something more complicated than that. The larger man, despite his more grown appearance, seemed far more sheltered about the realities of their job. Forzen had initially joined the police to impress family, he’d revealed one night. He just did menial tasks, played beyblade and watched shitty youtube poops, tried to help people. And, of course, he had no idea what his family and friends in the force did behind his back. The money changing hands, the blackmail, the systematic abuse. 

The worst part was knowing that, even if he told Forzen, the man would probably think he was telling a cruel joke. Or making an excuse to leave him behind, just like Benrey did.

Shep loved the man he saw before him, he really did. They were best friends. They were teammates. But, ultimately, what Forzen chose, and the kind of person he chose to be, were outside of his hands. Adrian Shephard needed to choose for himself, now.

He got to his feet, assembling a pile of files to take with him. Forzen spared him a curious glance, expecting an answer.

“Gonna take these to Black Mesa then. They’re the ones with the most frequent hero contact.” Shep absentmindedly slipped the files into his sidebag as he spoke. 

Forzen grunted in reply, going back to his phone. As Shep moved to leave, he stopped at the doorway.

“Hey, Forz?”

“Uhh yeah?”

“I... just wanted to say that you’re my best friend.”

Forzen snorted. “Well uhhh of course I am. We’re Team Nice.”

Shephard smiled, and he did so in a way reflecting his turmoil. It looked forced, melancholic; a facsimile of true joy. Forzen saw this, but he didn’t seem to notice just how deep it ran.

Shep left the building. It would be the last time he entered it as “Adrian Shephard”.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black Mesa was intimidating. Shephard saw the building as an anomaly. Responsible for greatness, for discovery, for so many changes. The problem came from the bad changes. The aliens, the Cascade… and the rumors, of course, of morally grey experimentation. Shep had never been a science man, but he’d seen enough Sci-Fi to be worried. Adjusting the strap of his sidebag, he swallowed. 

The security guard just inside, past the front doors, eyed him suspiciously. He squinted, tired eyes seeming to betray issues Shep had no place asking about.

“You here for a tour or something?” he asked.

“No, I’m uh- Adrian Shephard. Roswell PD. I have some important files I need to lead with someone higher up. It’s important they end up in hero hands.”

As he replied, he’d taken a glance at the security guard’s nametag. Then, he did a double-take. Apparently, he was named Jefferrem. Alright then.

Jefferrem was about to speak, only to be interrupted by the sound of a dog barking.

“Sunkist, where are you going?”

Shep turned to see a gorgeous golden retriever running his way. Then, he saw only fur, as his vision was engulfed by dog. He took a second to realize he’d been tackled to the floor by a bunch of puppy. Bewildered, he laughed. He did love dogs. I mean, he was a cat person, but even cat people loved dogs.

“Oh gosh! I- I’m so sorry, sir, oh- Normally she’s much more well behaved!” came a voice that Shep could only think of as “cute”.

The dog- named Sunkist, he inferred- was pulled back enough to let Shep stumble to his feet. Brushing himself free of dog hair, he finally spared a glance at the man who spoke.

His breath caught in his throat.

The man was older than him, clearly; probably by a few years, five at most? But his eyes were bright and a beautiful, strange yellow. His long nose fit well on his more narrow face, and his short black hair looked just a little untamed, as if he had brushed it but some stray bits simply wouldn’t be held down. He was tall yet unintimidating, thin yet not unhealthy, he was- well, shit, he was handsome. Shep had to remember to blink, and also to not stare like a creep. 

“Are you okay, mister?”  
Shit, he noticed. He definitely noticed.

“Uh! Yeah, I’m all good. Just a little… out of it. Your dog packs a punch. She’s cute.” He almost added ‘you’re cute’ to the end of that, but held his stupid gay tongue.

“I’m really sorry!” The tall man sounded embarrassed. “She never does that to people, she’s very well behaved! I don’t know what came over her.”

“Don’t even worry about it, it’s not a bad thing to get hugged by a dog.” He, admittedly, felt a little sting in his ass from having it hit the floor. But saying that would potentially upset the handsome man more, and he would much prefer to see the handsome man smile.

And smile, he did. His laugh lines became incredibly clear, and Shep couldn’t help the way that made him feel a little lightheaded. 

“That’s true! I love when she hugs me too.” 

A name. He had to get a name.

“I’m, uh- Adrian Shephard. Shep, most people call me. You?” He offered a hand.

“Oh, I’m Tommy!” The tall man replied as he shook Shep’s hand firmly. Deceptively strong grip.

“Nice to meet you, Tommy.” Shep noted the lab coat, then asked, “Oh, are you a scientist? I could actually use your help.”

Tommy nodded, replying, “I am! What’s- what’s up?”

Shep motioned to his sidebag. “I, uh…” He stopped himself from telling the truth. Instead, he pulled out his badge. “I’m with the police. I’ve been sent to look into some of your recent alien-related projects. I have files on the aliens and villains with me, and they need new, supplementary notes.”

“Oh! Sure thing!” Tommy smiled, motioning for Shep to follow him as he went further into the facility. “I can give you a tour! There’s sure to be scientists at each department that can tell you more.”

As Shep followed, Sunkist walked beside her owner. He smiled, looking at Tommy. “Do you normally bring your dog to work?”

“Oh, no! But I got permission to bring her in, today. Sometimes she likes to visit the scientists!”

“She’s pretty big, even for a retriever. Lucky you.” Shep commented.

“No luck involved, Mister Shephard! I made her myself!”

That statement made Shep blink in disbelief. “Made- like, a science experiment? Here? I… I didn’t know Black Mesa made dogs?”

“They don’t! It was a, uh- a personal project! I wanted to make the perfect dog!” Tommy spoke with his hands as well as his mouth, Shep noted. He motioned with them in the air, punctuating words with their movements. He seemed to be a very restless man.

“That’s pretty crazy. Glad to see it worked out, though, she seems like the perfect dog. Even if she knocked my ass to the ground.”

Tommy let out a little laugh, seemingly still worried over Shep getting hurt, though also knowing that the other man was simply joking.

The various departments they visited were mundane, in Shep’s honest opinion. Simple data, biological studies, and interesting technology; all simple. None of it was what he was looking for. The conversation, however, was something unexpectedly pleasant. Tommy had a lot of things to share, when given the time to, it seemed. Shep considered himself a more subdued man, with firm beliefs and ideals, but very little in terms of interests. It was a weakness, and he knew it. But it also made it easy to just let others share their own interests, and Tommy had a plethora to share. By the time they reached the Mixology Department, Shep knew what the hell a “bit beast” was, and how they made beyblades work. He knew the first 13 rules of the Department of Safety Handbook, which should have been boring, but Tommy’s enthusiasm spiced it up. He knew about how, apparently, Illumination Studios had a history of being unfairly criticized for their “very fun”” animated movies.

“What about you, Mister Shephard? I- I feel like- I’ve been talking your ear off, but you haven’t shared much about yourself…” The taller man sounded a little sheepish as he spoke.

“Oh, I- um.” Shep cleared his throat. “I have… not a lot of hobbies. I like to make… music, on my computer. Sometimes.” He remained vague about what kind, very intentionally.

“Oh! What kind of music?”

Fuck.

“That’s- it’s kind of… niche. I don’t think it’s worth talking about.”

Tommy looked like he was about to protest, when another voice interrupted them.

“Pardon me, gentlemen!” 

A man in a purple bowtie and bright orange shirt approached, his lab coat stained with various colorful fluids. He was a bit stockier in build, and had safety goggles and gloves on. Tommy seemed to recognize him instantly.

“Hello, Darnold!” Tommy called, waving him over. “What’s up?”

“Oh, I just wanted to say hello, dear.” Darnold replied as he approached. The use of “dear” made Shep’s heart stop for a moment. Oh.

Tommy took Darnold’s hand in his own, kissing the other’s forehead as he did. Ooooh.

Well, didn’t Shep just feel foolish? Of course a man as perfect as Tommy was taken. Ah, well- at least the potential for friendship was still there.

“I’m showing my new friend around! His name’s Mister Shephard!”

YES. FRIEND. FUCKIN’ NAILED IT.

Shep offered his hand, politely. “Adrian Shephard. Most people just call me Shep.”

“Well, Shep! It’s nice to meet a new friend of Tommy’s! I hope we can hang out too, when I’m not busy with work!” Darnold shook his hand, his grip firm and purposeful.

“What is your work? This is, uh… Mixology, but I actually don’t know what that means.” Shep questioned.

“Oh, allow me to give you the proper tour!” Darnold grinned, eager to show off his work. He slid over to his desk gracefully, leading Tommy and Shep along. Said desk was covered in bottles, cups, beakers, and other scientific equipment.

“This is my desk, where the magic happens! I’ve been perfecting my latest potion!”

“Potion?” Shep questioned the terminology. “Like, the magic kind?”

“No, the science kind! We do science here, sir.” Darnold replied swiftly, as if used to the question. Shep supposed he probably was.

“Right, of course. So, they… do various strange and wonderful things to the person who drinks them?” He guessed.

“Well, in simple terms, yes!” Darnold nodded. “I also just make unique soda flavors sometimes, though. For fun.”

“Oh, that’s super cool. What flavors?”

“Classified information, I’m afraid! But… well, since you’re friends with Tommy.” Darnold gave Shep a wink. “Here.”

Darnold went to a fridge against the wall, pulling out an unlabeled can. He offered it to the ex-cop, and Shep graciously accepted the gift. Opening it, hearing the fizz of soda, he gave it a sip without hesitation.

“Oh, how brave!” Darnold commented.

The flavor hit him fast. He knew it well, even though it was technically once a juice, not a soda. A wave of nostalgia hit, a very particular childhood memory coming to mind. He did used to love Ghostbusters, after all.

“Hi-C Ecto Cooler? Holy shit this tastes exactly like it!” Shep couldn’t hold back the excitement. “Obviously it’s got a little fizz now, but- honestly, that kinda makes it better. Couldn’t you get in legal trouble for this?”

“That’s why it’s a secret, my friend! Our secret.” Darnold brought a finger over his lips, smiling confidently. “If you ever want another, I’ll let you know when I’ve got a bigger stock. Or you can ask Tommy!”

Shep nodded his appreciation, taking another sip. After some more discussion, the time caught Darnold’s attention. He rushed back to work, after one last thing.

“Here, my number. We can text sometime!” Darnold handed Shep the paper before hurrying back to his desk. Shep blinked, staring at the number. 

“Oh, that’s a good idea! I’ll give you my number too, after the tour! If- if you want?” Tommy offered.

“Huh? Oh, of- yeah, of course.” Shep smiled, forcing himself to look more calm than he actually was. “Please. I’m, uh- curious about some more shows.”

They continued on again, for about another hour. The deeper they went, the more interesting the experiments got. A live headcrab nursery, armor testing with energy weapons, a barnacle used as a grappling hook, an aquarium for aquatic alien life they’d managed to capture alive. He made notes as he went, having pulled a notebook from his bag. He’d found what he needed.

Finally, Tommy stopped before a door- an office. The door was labeled “The Administrator”.

“Here’s the big boss! He might not be in, though.” Tommy tried the door, only to find it locked. “Yeah, he’s not in.”

“That’s alright. I think I got plenty from my tour today.” Shep smiled, then hesitated. He pulled out some files, offering them to Tommy.

“Since The Administrator isn’t here, can I trust you with these for now? They need to get into the Science Team’s hands. I want to see what they can add to it.” 

“Oh! Sure!” Tommy nodded, holding the files to his chest. “I’ll keep them safe until the next time the heroes stop by!”

Shep nodded, hesitant to leave. “I, um. Thank you, for the tour. I’m sure you probably had other work today.”

“Oh, it was no problem! I had fun showing you around! And Sunkist likes you, too!”

At the mention of her name, Sunkist perked up and nosed Shep’s hand, looking for attention. He pet the dog, a fond expression slipping onto his face.

“I’m glad. I’ll uh- I’ll text you, alright?” Shep said, readjusting his bag. Tommy nodded in reply.

“See you, Mister Shephard!” Tommy waved.

With that, Shep set off to leave. He followed the same path, aiming for the entrance, with a million thoughts swimming in his head. He had options, he realized, for what he planned to do. He was so lost in thought, that he didn’t even notice the room around him growing quieter. He didn’t even notice the man in front of him, until he bumped into the guy.

“Ah- shoot, I’m sorry.”

“Oh, think nothing of it, Mister Shephard.”

Shep stopped, looking up at the man. His expression was soft and tired, his eyes betraying a strange fondness, despite being a total stranger. He was aged, with short, black, greying hair, and a very intimidating business suit.

“You- You know me?” Shep squinted.

“Of course I do. You are, just the man I wanted to see, Mister Shephard.”

“I- who are you.” Shep took a defensive stance, incredibly offput now.

“You may call me Goodman. Please, there is… no need for alarm. I am hoping to be a friend. Here.” The man- Goodman- seemed to produce a package from nowhere. It was small enough to fit in Shep’s sidebag, with a little effort, and otherwise looked like a normal cardboard box.

“What the hell is it?”

“Exactly what you need, my dear Shephard. You shall be… an opposing force, to those who once used you.” His smile twitched as he spoke, but remained otherwise smug. “I look forward to seeing your success.”

Goodman handed Shep the box, before he could argue. Once it was in his hands, he suddenly saw Goodman no more. It was as though he’d never been there, but the box in Shep’s arms proved otherwise. He stared at it, considering whether to look now or later. His gut told him later, so he simply continued on his way, putting the package in his bag. Once he left the facility, he hurried home, questions burning into his mind. 

Shep opened the box when he sat on his bed at home. He stared at what waited inside, seeing it twitch and move, clearly alive, and clearly sedated. He knew what it was. It was what he’d intended to take. It was what he needed.

He was ready, just like that, much sooner than he’d expected. So, he did what he’d planned to do, that very night.

Adrian Shephard prepared his resignation from the force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrian Shephard is here!! I'm excited for his arc. I'll have art of him up soon!! Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm tackling an attempt at a longfic again! Let's hope I do better this time.  
> For clarity, yes, the characters don't know their coworkers' secret identities. Superman logic.
> 
> A massive thanks to @Cinaed for their Red vs Blue Superhero AU, "we didn't even kiss until issue 26". Their fic was the inspiration that made me wanna do a Superhero AU for my newest fandom, and their fic is FANTASTIC, so check it out if you're an RvB fan!!


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